The present invention relates generally to cutting apparatus, and more particularly to such a cutting apparatus with a guard-moving system for rotationally moving a blade-guard to cover and expose partially a rotating and swinging type blade in accordance with its operating position.
Generally, a blade-swingable type cutting apparatus such as chop saw with circular saw blade are pivotably supported on a shaft to be movable with respect to a work table between its rest position and its operating position and, for safety purposes, the blade portion is preferably covered and exposed entirely and partially by a blade guard which is in turn movable rotationally by means of a moving mechanism. Various types of blade-guard moving mechanisms have been developed heretofore. One known arrangement is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,966 or japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 60-71113, where a blade guard is rotationally movable by means of a linkage device comprising four hinges and four levers. However, such a four-hinge type blade-guard moving system causes a complex structure resulting in increase in manufacturing cost and the exchange of the blade being troublesome. Thus, a further improvement would be required from the viewpoint of making simpler the blade-guard moving system and the blade-exchanging operation.